


Ice Cookies & Snow Snakes

by Synekdokee



Category: X-Men: First Class (2011) - Fandom
Genre: Charles Is a Darling, Did I Mention Fluff, Fluff, M/M, Shaw is an asshole, basically shaw is really just an asshole, hints of somewhat emotionally abusive relationship?, skiing holiday, sort of infidelity but it's Shaw so who cares
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2013-07-18
Updated: 2013-07-18
Packaged: 2017-12-20 13:08:07
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,159
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/887638
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Synekdokee/pseuds/Synekdokee
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Erik looked down at the slope, frowning. "I think you can try facing the right way now. Don't worry," he added as Charles opened his mouth in alarm. "I'll hold you from behind."</p><p>Charles looked at the slope skeptically, unable to suffocate the tendrils of fear in his gut.</p><p>Erik tugged him closer, giving him a serious look. "It'll be alright," he said, taking Charles's both hands in his and squeezing gently.</p><p>"Trust me."</p><p>Charles glanced down at their joined hands, feeling suddenly very lost. This was supposed to be Seb, asking for his trust, not some stranger he'd just met.</p><p>Erik crouched a little, tilting his head sideways slightly to look Charles in the eye. "Hey," he said quietly.</p><p>Charles shook his head minutely and flashed Erik a self-deprecating smile.</p><p>"Nevermind," he said.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Ice Cookies & Snow Snakes

**Author's Note:**

> My friend thechosennerf accidentally suggested a skiing scenario, which reminded me of a plotbunny Ikeracity and I once hashed out. This is the result.
> 
> Title: Ice cookies/snow snakes: "Snow has melted, re-frozen, and been "skiied out", creating hard snowballs of ice- sometimes as big as tennis balls. Skiing in these conditions can be tricky and sometimes dangerous."

"Just hold on to my forearms and you'll be alright."

They were making their way down slowly, Charles leaning awkwardly towards Erik as they slid down the snowy hill. Charles's legs were already aching and trembling from the exertion as he held on to Erik hard with both hands.

They weren't even halfway down the hill but Charles was sweating under the winter sun, out of nervousness and the effort to stay upright on his skis.

_

A minibreak in the Alps had sounded like such a lovely idea when Sebastian had suggested it. Charles had felt a spark of hope that it might help him find whatever he'd been missing lately in their relationship. It felt like a good sign that Seb had suggested a holiday all by himself - that he clearly wanted to spend time with Charle - private, romantic time.

But the flights and the drive from the airport had been awkward, and their first night in their private cabin had been about as frigid as the cold winter night outside. Sebastian didn't seem to mind the gaping chasm between them, and Charles made no efforts to mend it either.

And then the next morning they had ventured out, Sebastian hurrying Charles to pick a pair of rented skis and ignoring his protests that he'd never gone skiing in his life. "You'll learn, or you'll be stuck on a mountain," Seb had said in his not-quite-joking manner.

They taken the lifts up, Charles feeling silly in his bundles of clothing, Sebastian looking like something out of a Ralph Lauren winter catalogue in his stylish padded clothing and gear.

Charles had fitted the skis on, put on his sunglasses, and approached the gently sloping edge of the hill. Sebastian skied past him, sliding into a smooth stop a few metres lower and turning to look at him expectantly.

"Well, are you coming?"

"Seb, I can't do this," Charles said, trying to keep his voice down so all the athletically gifted people streaming past him wouldn't hear.

Sebastian's face turned into a frown, the look that meant he felt like his time was being wasted. Charles felt an aching flutter in his chest. _This wasn't his damned fault._

 

"You can just go ahead," he said, staring at the ground between his feet. Secretly he hoped Seb would say, " _No, don't be silly, we'll do it together._ "

 

But Sebastian didn't even hesitate. "Fine. I'll see you at the bottom when you make it there."

Charles looked up, but Shaw was already flying down on his skis like he hadn't just abandoned his partner of three years at the top of a frozen mountain.

The top of the slope was momentarily quiet, only a few skiers arriving on the lifts. Charles didn't move, debating whether he should just take the skis off and trod down in his boots. As he dithered, a man approached him, skiing deftly along the side of the hill.

"'Scuse me."

Charles jerked from his reverie, squinting against the sun. A tall, rather handsome man was standing next to him, his clothing just as sporty - though slightly less runway - as Sebastian's.

"Uh. Can I help you," Charles asked, wondering if he was breaking some sort of a skiing rule standing there.

The man laughed, a pleasant, gruff sound, and raised his own shades to rest on the top of his hair.

"I actually thought it looked like you were the one who might need some help," he said, showing a wide, shark-like grin. Charles blushed, and was instantly charmed.

Introductions, and several shy smiles from Charles later, there they were, making excruciatingly slow progress as Charles fumbled his way down with Erik's assistance.

Eventually Charles's calves and ankles were protesting so hard no amount of teeth-gritting could've blocked the anguished moan escaping his throat when Erik told him yet again to flex at the knee.

Erik stopped his steady backwards slide, a look of concern shadowing his face.

"Are you alright? I didn't mean to push you too hard."

He was looking at Charles evaluatingly, in a way that made Charles feel like Erik was trying to gauge his state, rather than thinking he was a useless burden. The latter was a look Charles had seen on Seb's face often, so he knew the difference.

"I think I just need a moment," Charles said, smiling apologetically. He dug the edges of the skis into the slope and enjoyed being able to stand straight after the crouched lean into Erik.

 

Erik didn't seem to be in a hurry. He took off his hat, and ruffled his hair a little, tilting his face towards the sun, eyes closed and looking utterly relaxed. Charles felt a pleasant curl of want in his belly, and he blamed it on the recent lack of intimacy between him and Sebastian. He could count on one hand the amount of times they'd had sex in the past six months, and none of them had been very good.

The strange thing was that when they'd met, Seb had been almost as insatiable as Charles. Charles wondered if Seb had lost his appetite, or if Charles no longer fit his tastes. And sometimes he admitted he wondered if there was someone else who _did_.

He tore his eyes away from his impromptu skiing instructor and looked down the slope. He wondered if Seb was waiting for him.

 

Probably not.

"No offence, but you friend's not particularly nice for ditching you like that."

Charles bit his lip. "Actually... he's my boyfriend."

Erik opened his eyes and turned to look at him, eyebrow raised. Charles found himself blushing.

"He's... Impatient," he finished, just as Erik said, "an asshole."

Charles laughed, and he realised how freeing it felt. He hadn't dared to say it out loud, and now Erik, a complete stranger who had barely seen a glimpse of Sebastian, was calling him out.

"Yeah," said Charles, grinning. "Yeah, he kind of is."

Erik turned to face him fully, smiling lopsidedly. "Your boyfriend dumped you, a first-timer, on a red slope all alone, and you're... happy?"

Charles bit his lower lip to stifle the grin, a small chuckle bubbling out. "Well, sometimes you need perspective, I suppose," he said, and smiled at Erik, well aware of the flush high on his cheeks.

Erik stared at him, looking a little poleaxed.

"You-" he started, but then fell silent and shook his head, smiling.  
Charles felt another grin strain his lips.

"What," he asked, but Erik shook his head again and slid closer, curving his taller frame above Charles until they were standing so close Charles could see the green and gold flecks in Erik's eyes. They were both still smiling, Charles feeling a little breathless.

"Crazy," Erik murmured, and before Charles could protest or ask which one of them he meant, there, in the middle of a crowded slope Erik leaned down and pressed his lips against Charles's, dry and firm and more arousing than Seb's touch had felt in months.

He felt Erik shuffling between them, and then something light and soft fell on his boot, and then Erik's hand, warm and dry, was curling over his jaw, the tips of his fingers brushing at the hairs under Charles's hat. Charles parted his lips, letting Erik kiss him slowly, closing his eyes against the sun reflecting brightly off the snow.

Someone catcalled as they went zooming down the hill past them. They broke apart sheepishly, Charles laughing a little as he wiped his mouth self-consciously. Erik's mouth was pursed, not in a stern way, and there was a fond look in his eyes.

"Shall we get you down," Erik asked, taking Charles by the hand.

"Let's," Charles smiled, bending down to fetch Erik's fallen glove. As he straightened, his right ski slid out from under him and he faltered backwards, preparing for his first humiliating tumble.

Instead Erik grasped his arm, holding him steady effortlessly. Charles gave a nervous laugh and made an embarrassed face.

"I've been told I'm a good kisser, but you're the first one who's swooned," Erik said dryly. Charles gave him a gentle shove, still grinning like a fool.

Erik looked down at the slope, frowning. "I think you can try facing the right way now. Don't worry," he added as Charles opened his mouth in alarm. "I'll hold you from behind."

 

Charles looked at the slope skeptically, unable to suffocate the tendrils of fear in his gut.

Erik tugged him closer, giving him a serious look. "It'll be alright," he said, taking Charles's both hands in his and squeezing gently.

"Trust me."

Charles glanced down at their joined hands, feeling suddenly very lost. This was supposed to be Seb asking for his trust, not some stranger he'd just met.

Erik crouched a little, tiltin his head sideways slightly to look Charles in the eye. "Hey," he said quietly.

Charles shook his head minutely and flashed Erik a self-deprecating smile.

"Nevermind," he said, shaking himself loose of the melancholia. He didn't think he and Sebastian were going to be sharing the cabin tonight, and it had nothing to do with Erik.

 

He let Erik push him around until he was facing downhill, his skis in the v-formation to prevent sliding. Erik stepped behind him, wrapping his arms firmly around Charles's thick jacket.

 

"Ready to go all the way?" Erik murmured into Charles's ear. Charles laughed and jabbed him with an elbow, but carefully shifted his feet until the skis were in the correct position and they were moving steadily downwards.

They started to pick up speed, and Charles had a moment of panic before he realised that Erik was using his own skis to control their speed. He knew they were still going slow compared to everyone else on the trail, but it was more than Charles had ever done. It felt thrilling, sliding down the snowy-white slope, Erik a reassuring weight against his back.

 

They still ended up having to walk some of the steeper patches, but on the easier strips Erik did his best to give Charles a crash course in downhill skiing. During one particularly steep part Erik told Charles to wait, puffed up his chest and pushed himself off, flying down at what looked like breath-taking speeds to Charles. When the trail evened out he twisted his body into a skid-stop, his skis sending snow flying.

Charles laughed and tucked his poles under his arm to clap delightedly. Below, Erik gave a theatrical bow, and then he removed his skis and started jogging up the hill back to Charles, instead of waiting him to clamber down alone. Erik was the one sprinting uphill, but when he reached Charles, Charles was the one who felt short of breath.

By the time they reached even ground at the bottom of the green hill Charles should have started at, he no longer needed Erik's support to ski down and to control his own speed.

Erik had sent him to go ahead, saying he wanted to study Charles's form from above, but Charles had a pleasant suspicion that Erik wasn't talking about just his skiing form.

 

He came to a clumsy stop at the bottom and removed his skis, tucking them under his arm. He was about to turn around to wave at Erik when he saw Sebastian march through the snow towards him. He'd switched his skis for his winter shoes, and he wore that familiar look of arrogant boredom that told Charles he was about to issue a demand.

Seb gave him a sickly smile. "Where have you been Charlie," he drawled. Charles heard a familiar rough hissing sound get closer and he glanced over his shoulder to look up the hill.

"There's a man in the after ski bar who wouldn't believe I'm here with Brian Xavier's son," Sebastian said, laying a hand on Charles's shoulder. "Let's go and I'll introduce you two."

Erik pulled into a neat skid next to Charles, removing his shades and turning a somewhat derisive look at Sebastian. Charles brushed Seb's hand away.

"I'm so sorry, Seb," he said sweetly. "Erik promised to teach me how to go down properly." He enjoyed the outraged look on Sebastian's face. "Down a slope, I mean," he added innocently, and turned to smile at Erik.

"I'll meet you at the hotel after I get my things," he said, and trotted off, leaving Erik and Sebastian alone.

 

\---

Charles's ex stared after Charles, looking dumbfounded. Erik stripped his skis and lifted them to his shoulder, ignoring the other man. About to head back to his hotel to wait for Charles (a pleasant spike of excitement coursing through him at the thought of maybe getting to see Charles in something more revealing than the - admittedly adorable - fluffy outdoor clothes), he turned around to look at Charles's asshole of a former boyfriend.

"Hey," he called, drawing the man's attention.

"He didn't mean the slope."


End file.
